Following up on our preview - More on the 2018 Audi e‑tron quattro Concept BEV CUV, the production model 2019 Audi e-tron is the Brand of Four rings first foray into the all-electric vehicle space. Its size sits comfortably between that of the Audi Q5 and Q8 in terms of wheelbase and length. It is in fact wider than the Q8 by .1 inches while its included technology is near the top of the industry in all regards.

From the asynchronous induction motors front and rear, 355 hp is available with a short 8-second boost mode allowing up to 405 hp output propelling the AWD midsize SUV to 60 mph in a quick 5.5 seconds.

With the Audi e-tron SUV selling in the sub 500 vehicles/month here in the U.S. since its launch this past May - October showed just 462 e-trons purchased across the country, the e-tron is showing signs of stress.

2019 Audi e-tron SUV

A top notch luxury interior with both comfort and class leading technology for drivers and passengers alike.​

Despite the 2019 Audi e-tron SUV providing far superior build quality and phenomenal driver/passenger comfort and convenience features over its main rival, the Tesla model X, its shortcomings in the range comparison include a paltry by comparison 204 miles range vs the Model X Long Range/Performance at 328 and 305 miles respectively.

Considering the straight-line performance, the Audi e-trons 5,754 lb mass takes 5.5 seconds to 60 and tops out at 124 mph. This does not compare well against the 5,421 lb Model X Long Range (4.4 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph) or 5,531 lb Model X Performance (2.7 seconds w/ a top speed of 163 mph). Fortunately, neither of these 2 metrics mean anything to anyone in the real world.

Another few items on negative side of the ledger have to do with both vehicles charging specs. The Model X can be charged at 250 kW on the latest V3 Tesla Super Charger network and owners can do so as often as they like for the life of the vehicle at no additional expense. Audi’s e-tron SUV is limited to a maximum charging rate of 150 kW and the company supply’s new owners with just 1,000 kWh of high-speed DC charging or enough to cover about 2,040 miles over the first four years of ownership.

A side note here is that high speed charging is detrimental to battery life so the Tesla owner is taking on more risk if he or she charges at the fastest rates over the life of their vehicle.

Moving to the positive, the e-trons much higher quality fit and finish, vast array of convenience features, and superior diver/passenger comfort make for a good first out of the box starting point. Standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, real knobs for controls, and a better ergonomic control layout are an Audi staple. It exceeds here in no uncertain terms.

The Audi e-tron has one other favorable trait over its main all-electric rival. That being its starting price of $74,800 vs the Model X Long Range and Performance at $84,990 and $104,990 respectively. The e-tron also qualifies for the full $7,500 Federal Tax credit whereas the Tesla’s are in their sunset phase with just $1,875 still available through Dec. 31, 2019 when the Tesla Federal tax credit will be gone forever.

The 2019 Audi e-tron SUV is able to consume 83.6 kWh of its 95 kWh total battery capacity in order to cover the EPA rated 204 miles .

When developing the e-tron, Audi engineers designed a battery pack with longevity and safety in mind. The battery pack is housed in a frame with an internal honeycomb structure separating battery cell modules specifically to help dissipate energy. The 95 kWh battery pack is also sandwiched between protective covers on both its top and bottom, with coolant running underneath the battery pack to help maintain optimal thermal efficiency.

During the IIHS’s crash test evaluations, the e-tron body and structure exceled in safety performance, earning the top “Good” rating in all six areas of crashworthiness performance. To earn a 2019 IIHS “Top Safety Pick+” rating, a vehicle must achieve “Good” ratings in the moderate overlap front, driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, side, roof strength, head restraint and headlight tests; a vehicle must also earn no less than an “Advanced” rating for front-crash prevention which the e-tron did.

2019 Audi e-tron SUV IIHS Crash Test Ratings

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The e-tron also earned a “Good” rating with its standard Matrix Design LED headlights and “Superior” with standard automatic emergency braking as part of Audi pre sense front. Using a front-mounted camera, the e-tron can help initiate braking at speeds of up to 52 mph for detected pedestrians and bicyclists and can bring a vehicle to a full stop when traveling at speeds under 25 mph.

Additionally, the e-tron comes with standard Audi pre sense basic, which can help prepare the vehicle for impact by partially closing the side windows and sunroof and pre-tensioning the front safety belts.

2019 Audi e-tron SUV NHTSA Crash Test Ratings

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This month, the Audi e-tron took home another crash test and overall safety accolade. This time from the National Highway and Traffic Administration (NHTSA) when it earned the top 5-Star Overall Safety Rating during the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) battery of crash tests.

The U.S. NCAP’s crashworthiness ratings evaluate how vehicles perform in crash tests including frontal, side, and rollover tests. These three tests account for the majority of crashes on America’s roadways.

2019 Audi e-tron SUV

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All-in, owners receive one hell of a nice all-electric luxury SUV. If only its EPA rated all-electric range was at least 300 miles...

There's also a problem with the pricing since premium over a Q7 is pretty steep. And the Q7 interior refresh is now almost identical.

The Q5 TFSI e (e=PHEV) version is now listed as well on US site. Probably around $55K. Problem there as well is that battery is fairly large at 14kWh but EPA range will end up only around 23 mile.
I wish they would offer an A5 Sportback PHEV and get that efficiency up to at least 30 mile range. That said I applaud Audi for starting to expand their EV/PHEV models. Hopefully next gen will be more efficient and have better range.

Before the ink even dried, the all-new, fully electric, Audi e-tron SUV receives modifications that should improve its current 204 miles of all-electric range by another 13 to 15-miles or better put, as high as 220 miles for the upcoming 2020 MY. That was quick.

2019 Audi e-tron SUV

During a short 994-mile drive in < 24-hours around much of Europe this past August…​

This is due to a number of small but significant HW and SW upgrades and updates. A new type of wheel brake has reduced residual brake torque or losses that occur due to the proximity of the brake calipers to the discs.

The drive system has also become more efficient as the front electric motor is almost entirely disengaged and disconnected from the system. Only when the driver requests more power do both front and rear motors provide power.

The usable range of the high-voltage battery has increased. The battery in the Audi e-tron has a total capacity of 95 kWh and now provides customers access to a net 86.5 kWh vs 83.6 kWh before. We could almost tell this one was in the works.

The 4-circuit thermal management system has been revised and now regulates the temperature of the high-voltage components more efficiently. Volume flows in the coolant circuit have been reduced, which means that the pump uses less power.

All models coming off the production line will benefit from the upgrades with no change in pricing for the European marketplace. The 2020 MY U.S. Audi e-tron SUV pricing has yet to be announced and it will be a few weeks before we know if their will be a price increase from the current $74,800 MSRP and what the new EPA range will be if there are in fact any changes.